Retaining wall



March 23 1926., 1,577,885

W. J. WATSON RETAINING WALL Filed May 1922 Patented Mar. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES RETAINING WALL.

Application filed May 20.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILBUR J. WATSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Retaining "Walls, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of retaining walls or bulkheads which can be advantageously used in marine works, such as wharves, docks, levees,

Ill

jetties, breakwaters and the like.

My invention has for its ob ect the obtaining of the greatest possible strength and safety in such structures with the greatest possible economy in materials employed and in cost of erection.

More particularly, it is the object of this invention to provide a wall structure consistin of formed units which can be readily assembled and anchored in place to form a permanent wall. 0

A further object is to provide a structure adapted to be securely anchored to its foundation and backing.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description and the annexed drawing.

Generally speaking, the invention may be said to comprise the elements and combinations thereof set forth in the accompanying claims.

In the annexed drawings, Fig. 1 is a llOIlzontal section through a portion of the wall; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the wall; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of a portion of the wall; Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the wall showing the anchoring unit in side elevation; Fig. 5 is a' front elevation of a slightly modified form of construction.

Referring to. the annexed drawing, the wall is provided with a series of crib-like anchoring boxes 1, eachof which preferably has a solid front wall 2, side walls 3 having vertically spaced transversely extending apertures 4; and a rear wall 5 having vert|- cally spaced transversely extending apertures 6. The anchoring boxes 1 are preferably formed of concrete and are cast before being put in place. The boxes 1 may be integral units or may be made in superposed sections.

The anchoring boxes 1 are of such weight that they can be handled by heavy capacity 1922. Serial No. 562,291.

derricks. To enable them to be readily handled by such hoisting devices, U-shaped rods 7 are imbedded in the upper portions of the walls of the box and form eyes to receive the derrick hooks. The anchoring boxes 1 are arranged at regularly spaced intervals with their front walls 2 in alignment. In the side walls 3 of the anchoring boxes there are formed grooves 8 adjacent the front edges of the boxes. Intermediate wall portions 9 are held in place between the boxes 1 in the grooves 8. The wall portions 9, preferably, consist of superposed slabs 9 which fit one above the other with'their edges in the rooves 8 of adjacent anchoring boxes. As siown in Fig. 4 the superposed slabs 9 preferably are formed with interfitting tongues and grooves along their meeting edges in order to form a tight joint between them and to stfl'en the wall. The intermediate wall sections, however, are not essential, and may be omitted if desired.

After the anchoring boxes 1 and intermediate slabs 9 have been put in place, a concrete coping 10 may be formed upon the upper portion ofthe Wall directly over the front walls 2 of the anchoring boxes and the intermediate slabs 9. The eyes 7 at the front edges of the boxes form ties between the coping and wall. The coping 10 has a front face 11 flush with the outer face of the walls 2 of the anchoring "boxes 1. The slabs 9 and the coping 10 may be suitably reinforced.

After the wall has been assembled and the coping 10 formed thereon, the anchoring boxes are filled with suitable material such as broken rock, cobble-stones or the like and an embankment filled in entirely over the anchoring boxes to the top of the coping 10.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the anchoring boxes 13 are provided with transversely extending apertures 14 similar to the apertures 4 and (tin the side and rear walls. The intermediate slabs 15 are spaced vertically to provide horizontally extending apertures 16 between them. The slabs 15 have spacing lugs 17 formed integrally therewith at their ends which serve to space the slabs. In this construction the anchoring boxes 13 are preferably filled with rocks of sufficient size to be retained within the apertured walls. Rocks of similar size are also filled in behind the spaced slabs 15.

The anchoring boxes 1 are preferably placed upon a bed rock foundation and have PATENT OFFICE.

apertures 18 in the bottoms thereof to receive anchoring posts 19 which are set in holes drilled into the rock foundation.

Having described my Invention. I claim 1. A retaining wall having crib like anchoring units projecting rearwardly therefrom, said-anchoring units having rearwardly extending side walls with transversely extending openings one above another and a rear wall with transversely extending openings one above another which permit loose material filled in behind the wall to enter and till said units and serve to firmly anchor said units in the embankment.

2. A solid retaining wall having; crib like anchoring units formed integrally therewith and projecting rearwardly therefrom at spaced points along the length thereof. said anchoring units having rearwardly extending side walls and integral rear walls, the side and rear walls being formed with transversely extending opening one above another which permit loose material filled in behind the wall to enter and fill said units and serve to firmly anchor said units in the embankment.

3. A retaining wall, comprising a series of spaced crib-like concrete anchoring units,

each of said units having a solid front wall and vertically spaced transversely extending openings in its other walls, each unit having guideways formed therein along their front edges, and intermediate wall sections formed by superposed concrete slabs having their ends disposed in the guidcways of adjacent units.

4. A retaining wall, comprising a row of spaced crib-like units, said units being provided with retaining grooves on the sides thereof adjacent their front edges, intermediate wall sections having edge portions seated in said grooves, and a continuous copin eatcndine over the front walls of said units and said intermediate walls.

5. A retaining wall, comprising a row of spaced precast concrete crib units. said units having retaining grooves formed therein adjacent their front walls, intermediate wall sections comprising" concrete slabs having edge portions fitting in said grooves, and-a continuous concrete coping formed upon the top of said wall over the front walls of said units and said intermediate wall sections.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

WVILBUR J. \VATSON. 

